So what’s the gold standard guideline on how to humanely handle feed animals in 2017?

North American Meat Institute’s (NAMI), 2013 Guidelines.

Next question, please.

You can credit, as does NAMI, the “2013” to that innovate Colorado Professor who delights audiences with her speeches by always making pure sense and logic — seem so trivial.

That’s not always easy to do, just ask the Laurel’s and Hardy’s of the “La La Land” fiasco on Oscar night. It’s always been innate nature for Temple Grandin.

There are many other humane handling certification bodies popping up worldwide that have those fancy ISO’ing words attached, but Grandin has already been there done that since the last century.

These other humane handling guidelines are great and progressive don’t get me wrong. But one doesn’t need to hire a Watson from Scotland Yard to see Grandin’s fingerprints on nearly ever page of their guidelines.

Credit too, NAMI’s humane handling committee members, past and present.

Is it just a coincidence that the new director of the Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization (PAACO) is the fully capable, Collette Kaster?

That is, after years of superb guidance offered and directed by Mike Simpson. A has-to-be shoe in future Meat Hall of Famer. Like other deserving players of the past, it’s hard to fathom that a Pete Rose hasn’t reached Cooperstown yet – based on performance alone. Please, let’s circumvent this regarding Simpson’s stoic but effective/validated leadership and foresight of years past.

Is it just by pure happenstance at its very pinnacle that Kaster has been on the NAMI committee for years now?

Is it just one of those Haley Comet type of 74-year anomalies that all Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) auditors are PAACO trained?

Is it a dang printing error that the AMS incorporated NAMI’s “2013” years ago into their requirements for pre-approved suppliers to the National School Lunch Program?

I have one more. Hold on!

The Professor from Colorado University believes, presently — it may be going up to 99 percent soon — that 95 percent and higher first time knocking of cattle is the way to go.

What a golden idea that one is — for years now.

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